Safety device for fuses



May 18, 1948. E; J. FIX

SAFETY DEVICE FOR FUSES Filed Jan. 23, 1939 lnvenicn Eu 115 lFlx By LLEWHE 5 Patented May 18, 1948 STAES SAFETY DEVICE FOR FUSES Eugene J. Fix, Philadelphia, Pa., assignor to United States of America as represented by the Secretary of War Application January 23, 1939, Serial No. 252,416

1 Claim.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes, without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to a safety device for a fuse.

In a time fuse for projectiles the casing generally comprises rotatable parts which are adapted to be relatively displaced to set the timing mechanism within the casing. The parts of the casing also have a relative position of safety in which the mechanism of the fuse cannot function and it is in this position of adjustment that the fuse is stored and shipped.

The purpose of this invention is to provide a simple safety device which will hold parts of the casing against relative movement, which will also engage an element of the fuse mechanism to hold it unarmed, and which may readily and quickly be removed at the time of use.

The specific nature of the invention as well as other objects and advantages thereof will clearly appear from a description of a, preferred embodiment as shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation with parts broken away of a fuse equipped with the improved safety device;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings by characters of reference there is shown a fuse comprising a casing in which a cap 5 is rotatably connected to a body 6, the particular manner of rotatably connecting these parts being well understood in the art. The body 6 is provided with a time scale 1 and a reference mark 8 including an inscribed letter S for indicating the word safe. The scale and reference mark are readable against an index mark 9 inscribed on the cap. When the fuse is in storage or being shipped the reference mark 8 and the index mark 9 are in alignment; overlapping portions of the cap 5 and body 6 are provided with apertures, respectively and I l which are in alignment when the marks 8 and 9 are in alignment.

The safety device comprises a wire consisting of a straight resilient shank I2, a bent end I3 adapted to be inserted in the apertures l0 and I I, and a coiled end I4 tapered to fit on the front end of the cap. The end 13 serves to prevent relative movement of the cap and body and holds them in the safe position of adjustment, At the same time the engagement of the bent end l3 with the casing serves to hold the wire in place on the casing although it may be removed by pulling the resilient shank outwardly.

Within the casing there is shown a fuse mechanism indicated at l5 and including an element I6 which is arranged to move in order to permit arming or functioning of the timing or firing mechanism. The element It in the illustration is a setback pin which functions in a well known manner to free a firing pin. It is provided with a groove I! which is adapted to receive a spring 15 [8. The bent end 13 may be interposed in the path of movement of the element l6 as shown or by engaging in the groove 11. This additional function of the end I3 is particularly applicable and advantageous in such cases where the spring holding the setback pin must of necessity be weak as where the projectile is to be fired at low muzzle velocity.

I claim:

In combination with a fuse including a casing of relatively rotatable parts and a movable fuse element within the casing, a safety device including a wire having a resilient shank, a bent end on the shank extending into the base of the fuse through the relatively rotatable parts of the easing and engaging the fuse element to hold the parts and element against movement, and a helix of spiral plan affording an ogival profile formed on the other end of the shank adapted to fit over the nose of the fuse casing, whereby a dependable resilient fit is afforded the safety device with improved ease of manipulation.

EUGENE J. FIX.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

